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Sexual Hormones and Reproductive Imbalances
Materia Medica
Men's and women's reproductive health issues are an important part of
herbal and medical health care in modern societies. Herbal remedies have
been used throughout history to help ease symptoms and balance hormones.
For instance, the Mediteranean herb Vitex agnus-castus, or chaste
tree, was recommended around 455 B.C. by Hippocrates for the undesirable
symptoms that can occur during a woman's menstrual cycle, and the herb is
still used for this today.
The following chart lists some of the most important herbs for men and women
imbalances, giving their actions, uses, energetics, and includes a therapeutic
index.
Beth root Trillium sp.
Uses: uterine hemorrhage, menorrhagia
Energy: acrid, warm, saponaceous
Black cohosh Cimicifuga racemosa
Uses: sedative, slows pulse; hysteria, muscular aches, arthritis, dysmenorrhea,
amenorrhea, relieves irregular pains and uterine distress during pregnancy
(small doses), prepares for parturition (small doses), partus accelerator,
postpartem bleeding.
Energy: acrid, cool
Black haw Viburnum prunifolium
Threatened miscarriage, pains after birth, post-partum bleeding, morning
sickness (with Zingiber, Gentian), uterine prolapse, sterility, irregular
sudden menstrual flow; has tonic action
Energy: spicy warm, aromatic
Blue cohosh Caulophyllum thalictroides
Uses: uterine pain, amenorrhea*, prolongs gestation, relaxes uterus just
before birth, controlls abortion (with viburnum to enhance), ovarian irritation,
cramp-like pains during menstruation.
Energy: acrid, cool
Castor oil Ricinus communis
Uses: use the oil topically for cysts, tumors of the breas, uterus, etc.
Energy: oily, neutral
Cramp bark Viburnum opulus
Uses: uterine colic, menstrual cramps, pain in the uterus and ovaries, bladder
colic--erratic pains in pelvis
Energy: spicy warm, aromatic
False solomon seal Smilacina sp.
Uses: similar to Polygonatum.
Energy: spicy warm, slightly acrid
False unicorn root Aletris farinosa
Uses: uterine weakness, frequent child birth, deficient menses, sterility,
reduced flow, amenorrhea, dysmenorrhea (with Viburnum opulus or V. prun.),
prolapse of uterus, sterility, habitual abortion, component of "female
restoratives."
Energy: bitter, warm, acrid
Nettle root, herb Urtica sp.
Uses: prostatitis, prostate hyperplasia, nutritive tonic.
Energy: sl. warm
Pennyroyal Mentha pulegium
Uses: tea of herb only, dysmenorrhea, amenorrhea with other herbs.
Energy: spicy cool
Poke root Phytolacca americana
Uses: immune stimulant (topically), cancers, cysts, etc. (Caution!)
Energy: spicy, hot, acrid, nauseant, poisonous
Pygeum (similar to Prunus)
Uses: prostate hyperplasia, sedative.
Energy: spicy, cool, aromatic
Red raspberry Rubus idaeus
Uses: all during pregnancy as a tea as a mild uterine tonic.
Energy: sl. bitter, cool, astringent
Saw palmetto Sabal serrulata
Uses: general nutritive tonic and soother to the male and female sexual
organs, prostate, etc.
Energy: nutritive, warm, sweet, oily
Squaw vine Mitchella repens Rubiaceae
Uses: partus preparator, smooths labor, (use 1-2x daily for the 8th and
9th month), larger doses last week; painful menstruation, regulates bleeding,
relieves congestion in pelvic organs, soothes general irritation of the
nervous system.
Energy: sl. bitter, cool
Tiger lily bulb Lillium sp.
Uses: ovarian pain, uterine pain, tonic.
Energy: neutral, sweet, mucilaginous
Vitex Vitex agnus-castus
Uses: progesteronic, regulates menses, increases milk flow, stabilize fetus
(1st 2 weeks), menopause
Energy: spicy warm.
Willow-herb Epilobium sp.
Uses: prostatitis, diarrhea, intestinal cramps due to chronic heat.
Energy: cool, mucilaginous, sl. astringent
Therapeutic Index
Abortion, threatened: Caulophyllum, Eupatorium, Helonias, Viburnum*
Abortion, with bleeding: Erigeron
Acne (during menses): Berberis, Vitex, Juglans
Amenorrhea: Achillea, Aletris, Anthemis, Aralia, Asarum, Avena, Corydalis,
Damiana, Cimicifuga*, Myrrh, Polygonum*, Solidago, Lilium
Amenorrhea (with coldness): Leonurus, Cimicifuga, Zingiber, Zanthoxylum
Amenorrhea (with anemia): Urtica + Zingiber
Anemia: Cactus, Urtica, greens, spirulina, meat, yellow dock
Anemia (with no menses): Aletris
Bladder, atonic: kava
Bladder, mucus: myrrh
Breast soreness: black cohosh, arnica (topically), Phytolacca (topically)
Breast cancer: echinacea, golden seal, poke (externally)
Breast cysts: Phytolacca (externally), Scrophularia, castor oil packs
Childbirth: aletris, arnica, hamamelis, Helonias, black cohosh, Mitchella,
Viburnum
Cramps, menstrual: Dioscorea, Lobelia, Viburnum, Passiflora
Cystitis: Althea, Erigeron, Hydrangea, Juniper, Kava kava, Zea, Parsley,
Thuja, pipsissewa, uva ursi, Xanthium (chronic)
Depression associated with menses: rosemary, lavendar
Displacement of the uterus: Aletris, Helonias, black cohosh, Lilium, Viburnum
prun.
Dysmenorrhea: Aletris, Aralia, Anthemis, Cannabis, Caulophyllum, Corydalis,
Damiana, Heracleum, Jamaica dogwood, Leonurus, Lobelia, Cimicifuga, Passiflora,
Saw palmetto, Scrophularia, Viburnum, ginger
Dysmenorrhea, congestive: Cimicifuga
Dysmenorrhea, due to deficiency: Cactus, Caulophyllum, Urtica, Cimicifuga
Dysmenorrhea, neuralgic: Cannabis, Dioscorea, Lobelia
Dysmenorrhea, persistent: Asarum, Viburnum prun.
Emmenagogues: Asarum, Damiana, Gossypium, Sanguinaria (caution)
Epididymitis: Achillea, Kava, Saw palmetto
Menstrual irregularities: Caulophyllum, Helonias, Populus, Viburnum
Milk flow, to stop: Fomes officinalis, Salvia officinalis |
Copyright © 1996
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Christopher Hobbs is a fourth generation herbalist and botanist with over 30 years experience with herbs. Founder of Native Herb Custom Extracts (now Rainbow Light Custom Extracts) and the Institute for Natural Products 
